Faced with the possibility of an enforced early retirement, former Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio says the decision to play in the Australian netball league became an easy one.
By Bridget Tunnicliffe of RNZ
Ekenasio has extended her career by signing with the West Coast Fever in the Australian netball league for 2027.
Ekenasio is the first of several new Kiwi players expected to be announced in the coming days to feature in next year's Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league.
Top New Zealand players have been forced to look overseas, with Netball NZ not able to provide any assurances there will be an elite domestic competition next year.
Timing and circumstances have previously denied Ekenasio from fulfilling a long-held dream of competing in the Australian league.
But with no certainty around the direction of New Zealand's domestic competition for next year, the decision was made easier for the 35-year-old when the Fever came calling.
With her family to consider, Ekenasio said she had to work through some logistics with the Fever but knowing her husband and two children will move over to Perth sealed her decision.
Ekenasio co-captained the Pulse this year, but the ANZ Premiership franchises are unable to offer any contracts to players at this point in time.
The silky long-range shooter said an early retirement was on the cards if she didn't get a contract in the SSN.
"I didn't have anything here, nobody has anything here in New Zealand, so it just made total sense. I was definitely thinking that if I didn't have any opportunities in Australia, and if there was no league here in New Zealand, I would have to retire.
"That was quite confronting to think about you know, that I potentially would have had to retire if I didn't have a chance to play anymore."
Now in the twilight of her career, Ekenasio thought the opportunity might have passed her by.
"It always has been a dream of mine to go over and play in Suncorp, that was the main driver and to play with such an incredible team like the Fever, to have the opportunity, that was the massive draw card," Ekenasio said.
"And there's been so many restraints on us in the past in being able to do it, plus I've got a family so it's not as easy to just move over at the drop of a hat but we're at the right time in our family life that we can pack up and move."
'Heartbroken for netball in New Zealand'
Netball New Zealand relaxed its eligibility rules last year, making it much easier for players to be granted exemptions to play in Australia while still being able to play for the Silver Ferns.
The national body recently scrapped any restrictions around New Zealand players competing overseas, given it could not provide any guarantees that there will be an elite domestic competition next year.
Ekenasio said it was sad watching the potential demise of the ANZ Premiership, which would affect many of her former team-mates.
"I'm just devastated for all of the girls, I am so heartbroken for netball in New Zealand.
"We are the leading [women's] sport in New Zealand and I know we're competing with so many other sports now, but to see the sport go downhill. We play it because we love it but it is also a job and lots of us need to put food on the table and that's just the reality of it.
"I really feel for the players and without a professional league how do we expect girls who are playing at grassroots and that's the thing – netball courts are absolutely jam-packed every Saturday so it just doesn't make sense. How will they see the stepping stones to become a Silver Fern and to be great if they cannot see girls playing professionally week in week out?"
Current Silver Ferns' captain Karin Burger has confirmed she is staying on for a second SSN season at the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Midcourter Maddy Gordon has advised the Queensland Firebirds that she will be accepting an offer elsewhere and Silver Ferns' shooter Grace Nweke is leaving the NSW Swifts after two seasons for another Australian club yet to be announced.
Kate Heffernan is expected to stay at the Premiership winning Adelaide Thunderbirds for 2027, and defender Kelly Jackson at the Queensland Firebirds for a second season.
But the reality is of the 60 players contracted across the six ANZ Premiership teams this year, the majority won't get a contract in Australia or the UK league.
Ekenasio said she felt for those players.
"I have lots of friends who will be staying in New Zealand who won't have the opportunity to come over to Australia to play and that is really hard. I put myself in their shoes and couldn't imagine being like a budding Silver Fern on the brink of making it and having no idea if you've got a job next year or whether it will take you to the next level.
"I'm really hopeful that something pulls through for them, so trying to remain positive but at the same time just really disheartened by the lack of it moving forward. The uncertainty has been really hard for all of us, especially all of us who have poured our entire lives into netball, it's heartbreaking."
Ekenasio elected to step away from the Silver Ferns last year, saying she needed a break "for my mind, body and spirit".
Born in Australia, Ekenasio began her elite domestic career in the former trans-Tasman ANZ Championship playing for the Queensland Firebirds.
Searching for more court time, Ekenasio moved to New Zealand to join the Pulse in 2015, and dual citizenship saw her fast-tracked into the Silver Ferns.
During her 79-Test career she claimed Constellation Cup success and was a vital member of the Silver Ferns' 2019 Netball World Cup-winning side.
Ekenasio said she was immensely proud watching the Silver Ferns win gold at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
"I definitely had a few tears in my eyes. I was just over the moon for them and they were just so incredible. I was so, so proud and just could only imagine the joy you know that they would have felt."
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